"Myanmar woman sues Tokyo-based ramen shop operator over unpaid wages," 1 July 2025

A woman from Myanmar who had worked for a ramen restaurant in Japan has sued its Tokyo-based operating company demanding some 1.7 million yen (about $12,000) in unpaid wages and other compensation after the operator allegedly deducted expenses related to company housing from her pay, resulting in zero yen in her first paycheck.

According to the complaint and other sources, the 28-year-old woman came to Japan in late January 2025 after she was accepted as a specified skilled employee to work at a Tokyo shop of the Mitsuyado Seimen ramen franchise. Under the contract, she was to live in company housing, with about 250,000 yen ($1,740) as her monthly basic salary and fixed overtime pay combined, from which insurance and housing costs would be deducted, leaving her with take home pay of approximately 180,000 yen ($1,250).

After about a month, the company demanded she resign and pay back initial housing costs that the company had covered. When she refused, the firm unilaterally deducted the expenses from her March salary (her first paycheck), leaving her with income of zero yen.

... The operating company apparently has told her lawyers that the resignation demand was due to her "lack of understanding of the training content." Her legal team argues that wage deductions without the worker's consent violate the Labor Standards Act.

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